Meet the Judges

Kristofer Updike

Senior Director of Original Programming and Development for Sprout

Kristofer Updike is the Senior Director of Original Programming and Development for Sprout, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment’s preschool network. In this role, Updike leads the creation of all original long-form programs for kids and their families. He develops live action and animated properties and has produced and developed over 200 hours of television for Sprout, including several original series both in live action, competition/reality, and animation.

Updike has over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, working exclusively in television and film. Previously, he was Vice President of Production at the stop-motion animation studio, Bix Pix Entertainment. In this capacity he wrote, produced, pitched and directed programming for clients, including the Emmy- and Annie-nominated show “The Roadents.”

Updike graduated with a B.A. degree in Theatre, Film and Art from Albright College, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University. He resides in New York City.

Kirsten Hurd

Acquisitions, TVO Kids

As Acquisitions Officer for TVO, the technological extension of Ontario’s public education system, Kirsten is responsible for sourcing a wide range of kids programming. In her previous positions she spent 15 years in international sales and acquisitions of finished programming, most recently as Director of Acquisitions and Canada Sales at Distribution360. Prior to D360, Kirsten served as Director of Sales for factual distributor BuzzTaxi Communications, and has held sales and management positions at Cookie Jar Entertainment, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Decode/DHX Media. As a specialist in program sales, Kirsten has worked within territories across the globe including North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, New Zealand and Australia. She has attended international markets extensively including Kidscreen, MIPCOM, MIPTV, Banff Media Festival, Hot Docs, AIDC, TIFF, Realscreen and NATPE.

Brandon Lane

Production Executive, Corus Kids

Brandon is a screenwriter, director and a Production Executive for Corus Kids – where he oversees original productions for YTV, Teletoon and Treehouse. He developed, creative produced and wrote for YTV’s ‘Numb Chucks’, as well as co-created and creative produced YTV’s ‘Cache Craze’.

He currently oversees production for Corus Kids on ‘Inspector Gadget’, 'Hotel Transylvania', ‘Camp Lakebottom’, ‘Cupcake & Dinosaur’, ‘Winston Steinberger & Sir Dudley Ding-Dong’ and many other kids cartoons. Brandon has written and produced short content for Sesame Street, was story editor on ABC Spark's Web Series ‘All For One’, wrote and directed Treehouse’s Youth Media Alliance Award of Excellence nominated web series ‘Miss Persona’ and wrote and directed ‘Princess Sparkly Butt and The Hot Dog Kid’ for Teletoon.

Jay Stephens

Jay Stephens has been creating cartoon characters for over 25 years. His work in newspapers include the OH, BROTHER! daily strip, and WELCOME TO... ODDVILLE! monthly comic. Jay is the creator of the popular CHICK AND DEE characters and the X-TRA CURRICULAR adventure comic from chickaDEE and OWL Magazines, respectively. He is the writer and artist of several 'how-to-draw' activity books, as well as many comic book projects including THE LAND OF NOD, and the All-Canadian superhero, ARROWHEAD, currently being serialized in the 'True Patriot Presents' monthly anthology. Jay is best known for his animated series' THE SECRET SATURDAYS, created, Art Directed, and Executive Produced for Cartoon Network, and TUTENSTEIN, the Emmy-Award winning series created for Discovery Kids/ NBC. Jay also created, wrote, and Art Directed four JETCAT shorts for Nickelodeon's 'KaBlam!' series. For fun, he works in the art department on low-budget horror movies.

Rotating Judges

Jillianne Reinseth

Vice President, Creative Affairs, eOne Family

As Vice President of Creative Affairs, Jillianne Reinseth is responsible for overseeing the creative elements of all projects in development and production for eOne Family. Since joining the company in 2015, the eOne Family production slate has included Cupcake & Dino: General Services and Ricky Zoom, as well as seven new projects in development with partners around the world.

Jillianne’s nearly 30 year career in entertainment spans children’s animation, primetime comedy and drama in the U.S., Europe and Canada. She has worked with the top creative talent in the industry for companies including Disney, Nickelodeon, DHX (as Studio B and Nerd Corps), ABC, and CBS with credits on top series such as Kate & Mim-Mim, Endangered Species, Johnny Test, Chuck’s Choice, Kid vs. Kat, Martha Speaks, Kim Possible, Lilo & Stitch, The Fairly OddParents and My So-Called Life. She started her career as a television publicity assistant for Rachel McCallister & Associates working on In Living Color, Charles in Charge and It’s Garry Shandling’s Show.

Adina Pitt

Adina Pitt is vice president, content acquisitions and co-productions for Cartoon Network and Boomerang, In this capacity, Pitt is responsible for identifying, negotiating and acquiring pre-produced series, specials, movies and short-form product that fit the Cartoon Network and Boomerang brands for exposure on all platforms. She continues to oversee those programs once they have been acquired and positioned at each of the networks. Pitt also serves as a liaison with international Cartoon Network and Boomerang channels to coordinate global acquisition contracts, and she represents the U.S. networks at all major programming markets including MIPTV, MIPCOM, Kidscreen and NATPE. Pitt is based in New York City and reports directly to Robert Sorcher, chief content officer for Cartoon Network.

Previously, Pitt was vice president of acquisitions for Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. In this position, she developed acquisition strategies that supported current and long-term programming plans for Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Nick Jr, Nick at Nite, The N and Noggin. In addition to these duties, she oversaw channel inventory, cable and network television series and movie deals, competitive pricing, theatrical and made-for-TV movie availability, and competitive inventories, both domestically and globally.

Pitt joined Nickelodeon in 1998 as a coordinator of acquisitions and, over the course of nine years, has worked on Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, TV Land, Nicktoons Network, Noggin, The N, Nick Jr., TNN and Spike TV. She previously worked in film programming acquisitions at HBO.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Pitt earned a bachelor’s of arts degree in elementary education from Brandeis University and a master’s degree in educational communication and technology from New York University.

Cartoon Network, currently seen in more than 97 million U.S. homes and 166 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for youth and families. Nightly from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Stephanie Betts

SVP, Development and Current Series, DHX Studios

As Senior Vice President of Development and Current Series, Stephanie Betts is responsible for fostering, managing and expanding the kids and family development slate at DHX Studios, while also taking an active role in the creative oversight of all original DHX Media content. Stephanie’s expertise lies in building strong, creatively driven teams, and in developing series that appeal to domestic and international broadcasters – and most importantly, to kids! Drawing on more than a decade of experience producing and developing award-winning series, Stephanie has spearheaded the development of more than a dozen successful DHX series, including Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Inspector Gadget, Teletubbies, Supernoobs, and Make It Pop. Prior to joining DHX Media, Stephanie worked for more than six years as a Producer and Development Executive at Breakthrough Films and Television, and at Atomic Cartoons.

Terms & Conditions

STARTOON

Rules, Terms and Conditions of the Initiative

The following are the rules, terms and conditions that apply to the Startoon initiative (the “Initiative”) and is the agreement between the person (the “Creator”) uploading their animated character (the “Character”) and SRF company being incorporated (the “Company”) regarding all aspects of Creator’s participation in the Initiative:

The “Audition” Stage of the Initiative: The Creator acknowledges and agrees that:

1) By uploading his/her content featuring the Character (preferably on video) (the “Content”) via the www.startoon.ca website (the “Website”) (as contemplated in paragraph 15 of these Rules, Terms and Conditions):

a. he/she shall be deemed to immediately and automatically grant to the Company and its licensees (and each of their successors and assigns) a royalty free, non-exclusive license to host, stream, package and promote the Content on the Website and any and all Startoon related social media feeds (including without limitation Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Vine), throughout the world, in perpetuity; and

b. he/she shall be deemed to immediately and automatically grant to the Company and its licensees (and each of their successors and assigns) the exclusive right to package the Content with other content submitted by other persons participating in the Initiative (each such person being an “Other Participant” and each such package being a “Startoon Package”), and the exclusive right to license each Startoon Package to third parties, throughout the world, in perpetuity.

For certainty, the Creator acknowledges and agrees that the Content may be used in more than one Startoon Package.

2) a. The Company will share any licence fees actually received by the Company, solely in respect of the licensing of Startoon Packages (the “Revenues”), on a 50/50 basis, provided that the Creator’s 50% share of such revenue shall be shared on a pro rata and pari passu basis with all those Other Participants whose content is also contained in any such Startoon Package, based on the actual duration of content used in each such Startoon Package;

b. The determination of the Creator’s proportionate entitlement in connection with a Startoon Package (the “Proportion”) shall be made by the Company, in good faith, as and when the Startoon Package has been finalized for licensing by the Company; and

c. The Company will notify the Creator as to each Startoon Package in which his/her Content appears, and as to his/her Proportion therein, as soon as reasonably practicable following the initial licensing of the Startoon Package, and the Company will send financial reporting to the Creator, along with any payments owing to the Creator in respect of the reporting period, no less than once per year.

For certainty, the Company will only be obligated to report to the Creator in the event it receives Revenues during the reporting period in question.

By way of example: if the total duration of a Startoon Package that is licensed to a third party is 44 minutes long and the Content accounts for 30 seconds of that (i.e. such that the Proportion is 1.136%), and the overall licence fee for the Startoon Package is $1,000.00, then the Creator will be entitled to receive the following amount: $1,000.00 x 50% x 1.136% = $5.68

3) The “audition” stage of the Initiative will last for a duration that will be at the sole discretion of the Company, during which time the judges appointed by the Company (the “Judges”) will select all characters that they wish to see proceed into the next stage of the Initiative, whether or not included in any Startoon Package.

Further Stages of the Initiative: The Creator further acknowledges and agrees that:

4) If the Character (and therefore the Creator) is selected by the Judges to proceed to the next stage of the Initiative, the Creator will be contacted by a representative of the Company and presented with a more detailed agreement pertaining to the use of the Character and the Content (in substantially the form to be set forth on the Website) for purposes of the Initiative. If the Creator does not enter into such detailed agreement within a reasonable period of time (as determined by the Company in its sole discretion), then the Character (and therefore the Creator) will be disqualified from proceeding to the next stage of the Initiative. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the detailed agreement will include:

a. an exclusive period to work with the Creator to further develop the Character; b.the grant by the Creator to the Company and its licensees (and each of their successors and assigns) of a limited-time (see paragraphs 5, 6 and 7), exclusive licence to the Character (as further developed), and any resulting material created or contributed by the Creator that includes the Character (“Material”): (i) in one or more Startoon Packages; or (ii) in any other manner on the Website.

5) If the Character (and therefore the Creator) is eliminated by the Judges before the final stage of the Initiative (i.e. the Character doesn’ t make the cut for the last three (3) characters) then the licence to exploit the Character and the Material will thereafter become non-exclusive and, exactly three (3) months after the end of Initiative (i.e. following the public announcement by the Company of the winning character), the Creator shall have full control over the Character and the Material, subject only to the rights to use the Character and the Material in the Startoon Packages, as set out in paragraphs 1b. and 4b. of these Rules, Terms and Conditions.

6) If the Character (and therefore the Creator) is selected by the Judges to proceed to the final stage of the Initiative, the Creator shall be deemed to immediately and automatically extend the exclusive licence to the Character (as further developed), and all Material, for the period that ends six (6) months after the end of Initiative (i.e. following the public announcement by the Company of the winning character), during which period the Creator may be contacted by a representative of the Company and presented with a more detailed agreement pertaining to the further development, and use, of the Character and the Material for purposes unrelated to, and following the completion of, the Initiative. For certainty, if the Creator does not enter into such detailed agreement with the Company, he/she shall not be disqualified from proceeding to the final stage of the Initiative.

7) If the Character (and therefore the Creator) is selected by the Judges as the winner of the Initiative (the “Winner”), the Creator shall be deemed to immediately and automatically extend the exclusive licence to the Character (as further developed), and all Material in one (1) or more audio-visual productions and all ancillary and subsidiary manner and methods of commerce, pursuant to a traditional option agreement (in substantially the form to be set forth on the Website) for an initial period of twelve (12) months following after the end of the Initiative (i.e. following the public announcement by the Company of the winning character) without fee, and with an extension period of twelve (12) additional months, exercisable by the Company prior to the expiry of the initial twelve (12) accompanied by an extension fee of $1,000.00.

For certainty, during the option period (as it may be extended), the Company shall have the right, and shall use its reasonable commercial efforts to produce, or to cause the production, of a commercial audiovisual work for worldwide exploitation.

Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Creator:

8) The Creator hereby represents and warrants (and acknowledges that the Company and its licensees (and each of their successors and assigns) are relying on such representations and warranties) that:

a. he/she is aged 16 or over on the opening date of the initiative (currently scheduled for March 14, 2017 but is subject to change to a later date without notice);

b. he/she is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada));

c. if the Character and the Content are original to him/her and that he/she owns and controls all rights of any nature in the Character and Content (and the Material, if and when created);

d. he/she has the legal right to grant all rights in the Character and the Content (and the Material, if and when created) to the Company as set out herein, free and clear of any encumbrances whatsoever; and

e. all information (including personal details) supplied by the Creator to the Company is truthful, accurate and in no way misleading.

9) The Creator hereby covenants that:

a. he/she will not grant any rights to a third party in the Character and Content that are inconsistent with the grant of rights to the Company herein; and

b. he/she shall not be entitled to restrain or interfere with the transmission or use of the Character, the Content, the Material (if created) or any Startoon Package by the Company and its licensees (and each of their successors and assigns), and he/she shall not seek any injunction or any other equitable relief as a proposed remedy to any alleged breach by the Company of the Rules, Terms and Conditions or of any agreement;

10) The Creator hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives any so-called “moral rights” in the Character, the Content and the Material (if created), other than the so-called right of attribution as may be set out in the agreements referred to in paragraphs 1 and 4 of these Rules, Terms and Conditions.

11) In the event that the Company determines, acting in good faith, that any of the representations and warranties contained in paragraph 8 of these Rules, Terms and Conditions is not true, that the Creator has breached (and not remedied to the satisfaction of the Company should the Company offer any timetable to remedy such breach) any of the covenants contained in paragraph 9 of these Rules, Terms and Conditions, or that the Creator has otherwise failed to abide by these Rules, Terms and Conditions, then without limiting any other legal or equitable remedies available to the Company, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to disqualify the Creator from the Initiative and to immediately remove the Content from all Startoon Packages, and the Website. Further Rules, Terms and Conditions:

The Creator acknowledges and agrees that:

12) He/she shall be required to abide by the rules, terms and conditions of this Initiative (the “Rules”) as determined solely by the Company, in good faith, and that the Rules may be interpreted or changed (whether verbally, in writing or otherwise) by the Company at any time at its sole discretion. The Company’s decision regarding any and all elements of the application process, judging criteria and audio-visual material used in and as a result of the Initiative shall be final and binding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Creator acknowledges and agrees that decisions of the Judges are inherently subjective and not subject to challenge or appeal.

13) If he/she is under 18 years of age on the opening date of the initiative (currently scheduled for March 14, 2017 but is subject to change to a later date without notice), Creator will need to provide written parental consent to Creator’s participation in the Initiative.

14) Employees, officers, directors and agents of the Company, Shaw Communications Inc. and/or of any of its licensees, assigns, parent, affiliated or subsidiary companies and the immediate family or household members of such persons are not eligible to participate in the Initiative.

15) To enter the Initiative, the Creator must upload the Character and the Content via the Website.

16) The Company accepts no responsibility whatsoever for network, computer or software failures of any kind or any other problem with any aspect of the online application system, which may restrict or delay the sending or receipt of the Character and/or the Content without warning to the Creator.

17) Any information that the Creator supplies to the Company (including any personal details):

a. May be included in a database compiled for the Initiative;

b. May be used for purposes related to the production or promotion of the Initiative; and

c. Will not be supplied by the Company to third parties other than as is reasonably necessary for the purposes of producing and/or promoting the Initiative.

18) He/she will not, without the Company’s prior written consent, disclose, publicize or discuss with any third party any information relating to his/her application or participation in the Initiative, the application or participation of any Other Participant, or any other information which may come to the Creator‘s attention (including, without limitation, in relation to the Company or any licensee of the Character, the Content or the Material (if applicable), except for such information as is already available in the public domain, or such information as is required to be disclosed by way of judicial proceeding.

19) No cash prize shall be awarded to the Winner or any other participant in the Initiative, and the Company is not responsible for any expenses incurred by the Creator as a result of his/her entry or participation in the Initiative.

20) The Company shall not be required to respond to any written correspondence from the Creator or his/her representatives, in respect of his/her entry or participation in the Initiative.